All 50 states now require that infants and toddlers be securely fastened into a car seat while riding in a moving vehicle. Since 1982, children's car seats have been subject to strict safety standards. An infant weighing less than 20 pounds should ride in a rearward-facing car seat. When the child reaches 20 pounds and can sit upright and unaided, a forward-facing restrain becomes appropriate.
Many car seat models can be adapted from a rearward-facing infant seat to a forward-facing toddler seat. These adaptable seats feature either a three-point or a five-point harness system and/or an armrest or T-shaped restraint. When used in the rearward-facing infant mode, the child safety seat typically is secured to the interior of the automobile using in the front of the seat which receive the automobile safety belt.
The forward facing position uses slots in the rear of the seal for receiving the seat belt. It is known that children's car seats can be equipped with sun visors and windshields. However, these previous devices were not designed to sue existing automobile safety belt slots which were originally designed for use in the safety car seat's rearward-facing infant mode. Nor were these devices designed to withstand harsh direct winds incident on a toddler riding in the rear seat of a convertible automobile while providing the child a safe vantage point from which to enjoy the ride.
One previous attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,883, issued to Mayo. This patent discloses an infant sun shade apparatus having a plurality of vertically oriented transparent planes formed with a malleable memory retentive channel along the lower edge to receive a rope for securing the device to a child carrier. This invention is designed primarily as a sun shade for use in a closed motor vehicle rather than an as a windshield for use in an open top motor vehicle as is the present invention. This unit is not designed to withstand the strong wind encountered in convertible vehicles.
Another attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,385, issued to Koenig. This patent discloses a sunshade and protective cushion device for use with a conventional child safety car seat. The device includes a pair of peripherally joined flexible sheets and a valve for permitting pressurization of the airspace between the sheets. This device is designed primarily as a sunshade to prevent the child's exposure to excessive sunlight and as a cushion to prevent discomfort to the child when the automobile makes sudden changes in speed or direction. A disadvantage of this device is that it interferes with the child's view. William Boyle, MD, practicing pediatrician at The Hitchcock Clinic, in Hanover, N.H. is quoted in a recent article in American Baby regarding children's safety car seats. He notes that a better vantage point from which to enjoy the ride is one benefit of a child's safety car seat. The construction of the '385 invention negates this benefit and prevents the child from enjoying the view because the device is difficult to see through. By the same token, the child cannot be seen well by its parents. This unit would also problems when subjected to the force of the wind encountered in convertibles.
A still further attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,727, issued to Potts. An easily detachable all-purpose weather guard with manually operated air vents and moisture collection troughs on all sides, flexible rain diversion spouts and a padded bottom edge are disclosed. The device can be attached to a child's car seat by quick disconnecting snaps or loop and pile fasteners. This invention is distinguishable form the present invention because it cannot be mounted to a conventional child safety car seat without modification of the car seat. The '727 patent discloses cooperating attachment means mounted on both the guard and the child's car seat rather than using the existing automobile safety belt attachment slots designed originally for the rearward-facing infant mode of the car seat. The present invention is further distinguished from the unit disclosed in the '727 patent because the cooperating attachment means disclosed by the '727 patent is not designed to withstand the force of harsh direct winds incident on a child riding in the rear seat of a convertible automobile as is the attachment means of the present invention.
The above devices fail to set forth a child's car seat windshield which achieves the degree of effectiveness in preventing the child's exposure to harsh direct winds generated in an open top motor vehicle as does the present invention or one which also can be mounted to any conventional child safety seat by using its existing automobile safety belt attachment slots. The present invention meets these needs while enabling the child to enjoy the ride by allowing him or her to see clearly through the device. Adults likewise have a better view of the child.